Republicans Push Obama To Reverse Stem Cell Ban

A group of six moderate House Republicans have written to President Obama urging him to lift President Bush’s ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.

“We are writing to respectfully urge that you immediately lift the current federal restrictions on funding for embryonic stem cell research,” they wrote Wednesday, also requesting that the president ask the National Institutes of Health to issue “appropriate guidelines.”

The letter was signed by Reps. Fred Upton of Michigan, Charles Dent of Pennsylvania, Brian Bilbray of California, Michael Castle of Delaware, and Mark Steven Kirk and Judy Biggert of Illinois.

My question: did they urge Bush to overturn it?

A bit more of the letter…

“While we have been encouraged by recent news reports that you plan to issue an Executive Order soon, we cannot stress enough the importance of swift action,” the moderate GOP members of Congress wrote Wednesday. “After the current restrictions are lifted, we stand ready to work with you and our colleagues in Congress on adopting complimentary legislation.”

So it looks like this issue is effectively off the table as a wedge issue if there’s enough Republican support.